Plenty of sweets at fire station trunk or treat
Oct 31, 2021
Will Leger, 2, receives candy from Town Clerk Sarah Arruda and her daughter Gabby at the trunk or treat held at the Bridge Street fire station. Photos by: Christopher Shea
Aria Correia, 2, is greeted by dinosaurs Tony and Marina Meath.
A meeting of the creatures: Tony Meath greets dragonette Jaime Vaz, 10.
Three-year-old Jennix Morales waits to get some candy from Julianna Howland, 10, as Debi Cabral-Trinidad prepares a bag.
Four-year-old Ella Perry was more than happy to dress up as a squirrel and distribute candy by her mom Melanie’s forest-themed trunk.
Lucas Ovesen, 10, brought the magic as Harry Potter.
Out were the trucks and in were the trunks full of candy at Fire District No. 1’s Bridge Street station as the department’s annual trunk or treat returned on Oct. 30 following last year’s Covid cancelation.
The event, held in conjunction with the town’s Department of Parks and Recreation, saw dozens of families clad in costumes roam around the station’s garage in search of candy to get a head start on their Halloween stockpiles.
Along with candy, kids were also able to get snacks, hot chocolate, and free fire-safety goodies from the firefighters.
“I’m so glad people came out,” Parks Director Tim Lancaster said. “I was a bit worried because of the weather, but it looks like it’s not stopping the crowd.”
The station wasn’t just full of eager trick-or-treaters, Lancaster noted, as the number of participants handing out candy was also at its highest in the four years the event has been held.
“The number of cars keeps growing each year,” the parks director said. “There were concerns that all the cars wouldn’t fit, but we made it.”
Town Clerk Sarah Arruda and her 17-year-old daughter Gabby handed out treats dressed as cats with a feline-themed trunk to boot.
While their setup was purrfect, Arruda said she faced some stiff competition from the other participants who decorated their trunks with jungle vines, forest backdrops, and psychic gear.
“We’ve got to step up our game next year,” the clerk said with a laugh. “I didn’t know it was going to be this creative.”
Best friends Sandy Howland and Debi Cabral-Trinidad dressed as psychics, handing out a small, plastic “fortune teller fish.”
“You put on your palm and whatever the fish does is your fortune,” Howland explained.
The Dartmouth resident said she’s been involved in all four trunk or treats at the fire station.
“Halloween is my absolute favorite,” Howland.
After a week of storms and power outages, Lancaster said the return of the trunk or treat was needed this year.
“It’s a great, free thing to do,” he said. “[We’re] very grateful to the fire district for making this happen.”
